1. Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation for the Management of Depression, Anxiety, Sleep Disturbance, and Pain in Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Preliminary Study.
- Author
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Yennurajalingam S, Kang DH, Hwu WJ, Padhye NS, Masino C, Dibaj SS, Liu DD, Williams JL, Lu Z, and Bruera E
- Subjects
- Aged, Anxiety etiology, Anxiety metabolism, Biomarkers metabolism, Cancer Pain metabolism, Depression etiology, Depression metabolism, Feasibility Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms complications, Neoplasms metabolism, Neoplasms psychology, Pain Management, Preliminary Data, Saliva metabolism, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders etiology, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders metabolism, Treatment Outcome, Anxiety therapy, Cancer Pain therapy, Depression therapy, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Neoplasms therapy, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders therapy
- Abstract
Context: Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is a safe modulation of brain activity for treating depression, anxiety, insomnia, and pain. However, there are no published studies in patients with advanced cancer (ACPs)., Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a four-week CES intervention on depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and pain scores. Concurrent salivary biomarker studies were conducted., Methods: In this one group open label pre- and post-intervention study with a four-week CES intervention, ACPs with one or more of four moderate intensity (≥3/10) Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) symptoms (depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and pain) were eligible. Adherence (0%-100%), satisfaction rates (0-10), and safety were assessed. ESAS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Brief Pain Inventory, and salivary levels (cortisol, alpha amylase, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6) were assessed from baseline to Week 4., Results: Thirty-three of 36 patients (92%) completed the CES. Median (interquartile range) adherence CES use and satisfaction scores were 93% (89-100) and 10% (9-10), respectively, and the adherence criteria was met in the study. CES use was safe (no Grade 3 or higher adverse events). HADS anxiety (P < 0.001), HADS depression (P = 0.024), ESAS anxiety (P = 0.001), ESAS depression (P = 0.025), Brief Pain Inventory pain (P = 0.013), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index daytime dysfunction (P = 0.002), and medication use (P = 0.006) scores improved after four-week CES treatment., Conclusion: In this preliminary study, we found that the use of CES was safe and feasible in ACP. The use of CES was associated with significant improvement of depression, anxiety, pain, and sleep scores. These findings support further studies of CES in ACP for symptom control., (Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2018
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